According to official statistics, in the first 11 months of 2023, procuratorial organs nationwide accepted over 2,500 copyright infringement cases, encompassing both traditional and emerging areas involving new technologies and forms. Concurrently, the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP), together with the National Copyright Administration and other departments, launched three batches of special supervision over 150 major cases of infringement and piracy. For instance, the SPP provided guidance to the procuratorial organs in Shanxi Province in handling the first-ever nationwide case of copyright infringement related to a 'Murder mystery game,' cracking down on emerging cultural sectors involved in infringement and piracy. Additionally, administrative agencies were urged to strengthen supervision over the 'Murder mystery game' industry through means such as issuing prosecutorial recommendations.

Procuratorial organs have placed particular emphasis on malicious litigation in the fields of musical works, audiovisual works, photography, and cultural and creative products. For example, the SPP supervised and organized the handling of a vexatious litigation case involving a cultural company's infringement of music and television copyright, which involved thousands of infringement lawsuits across nine provinces. The aim was to simultaneously pursue criminal punishment and civil supervision. The procuratorial organs in Beijing Municipality established a legal supervision model to combat malicious litigation, integrating judicial judgments, administrative rulings, and intellectual property public opinion data. Through big data analysis, they issued prosecutorial recommendations for retrial in 77 civil cases involving a picture company suspected of engaging in malicious litigation.

Source: The SPP

https://www.spp.gov.cn/spp/zdgz/202402/t20240228_645139.shtml

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